PARLAMERICAS’ YEAR IN HIGHLIGHTS 2014 13
WORKSHOP: STRENGTHENING PARLIAMENTARY BUDGET OVERSIGHT IN THE CARIBBEAN – PHASE 2
ParlAmericas organizes capacity building workshops aligned with issues of current hemispheric importance and with skills identified by parliamentarians as essential to carrying out their responsibilities. These hands-on opportunities allow participants to delve into the issues with experts from renowned international organizations. To date, our workshops have centred on topics concerning budget oversight, extractive industries, and trade.
Our most recent workshop in Trinidad and Tobago built on discussions about budget oversight mechanisms and key issues of concern to Public Accounts Committees (PACs) that took place at our previous workshop in Antigua and Barbuda in 2012. Both workshops were facilitated by Geoff Dubrow of Geoff Dubrow Governance Consulting Inc., a specialist in the subject matter. Parliamentarians and SAI heads enhanced their practical skills set related to auditing and deliberated on moving forward to strengthen the estimates process and PACs at national and regional levels.
Key outputs of the workshop included identification of ways to strengthen PACs in small jurisdictions where the PAC rarely or never meets, and productive exchanges about how PACs can support SAI independence and the production of timely financial statements. At the closing of the workshop, participants stressed the unique opportunity the event created by gathering parliamentarians from both government and opposition parties for productive debate alongside SAI heads.
Topic: Budget Oversight
Dates: February 5-6, 2014
Location: Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago
Delegates: 26 national legislators representing 11 countries and one territory, in addition to Supreme Audit Institutions (SAI) heads from six countries